


Simple & Succinct

by Kamu



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Birthday Wishes, M/M, do not mind the scientific inaccuracies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-02 03:26:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5232164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamu/pseuds/Kamu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It began with one word on a specific day, seven hours and fifty-five minutes after it was posted at 12:01am.</p><p>
  <i>"Birth"</i>
</p><p>Never has a word been so accusing and simultaneously full of meaning to Kuroo Tetsurou's life.</p><p>Kenma gradually teaches why it's so with the four basic rules of evolution:</p><p>Fighting, fleeing, feeding, and lastly, friendship :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fighting

**Author's Note:**

> I remember discussing this with @konokomi about Kenma being the type to half finish something, hoping the other person would understand his meaning. In this case, it so happened to be birthday wishes. Will post the rest of four chapters with maybe an extra fifth?

i.

 

It began at the end of Kuroo’s second year of high school.

He woke up one morning to see his phone blow up with notifications because of a post at the top of his timeline.

 

**Kozume Kenma**

_Posted on November 17 at 12:01am_

Birth

 

That was all it said. No periods, no punctuation indicating Kenma wanted to finish the rest. The one word post had somehow accumulated the attention of 120+comments, 253 likes, and 69 shares in the span of seven hours and fifty five minutes. Kuroo didn’t even have time to laugh at the amount of shares, because the first thing Kuroo did was read the comments.

 

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora):** LMAO WWW

 **Fukunaga Shouhei:** mystery

 **Nobuyuki Kai:** Is Kenma okay? This is random, even for him

 **Yaku Morisuke:** is @Kuroo c ing this lolz

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora)** : guy’s probably asleep. You know he likes to sleep before ten

 **Kuroo (Mom)** : Oh, Kenma-kun, is everything alright? Tired?

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : Hello, Kuroo mom-san

 **Yaku Morisuke** : geh wrong Kuroo

 **Kuroo (Mom)** : Aw, Morisuke-kun, you haven’t changed at all since the last time you came over! Your new profile pic is very cool, posing in the bathroom with a peace sign! The sunglasses are very trendy!! So, how is your mother? I still need to go over and loan her my sewing kit

 **Yaku Morisuk** e: Kuroo mom-san!!! pm me ///// (and mom says come over tmrw afternoon)

 **Kuroo (Mom)** : Oh!

 **Kuroo (Mom)** : How about now, Morisuke-kun?

 **Yaku Morisuk** e: Kuroo mom-san, it’s okay, I told mom to call you tomorrow morning. She says lunch or brunch. I have to leave now. Good night.

 **Kuroo (Mom)** : Brunch would be darling, thank you Morisuke-kun. Sleep well ; )

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora)** : Yaku-san is so embarrassed he switched to correct grammar lol

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora):** but dude, what does this post mean

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : Could it be Kozume is trying to be funny?

 **Fukunaga Shouhei** : ???? mystery

 **Noboyuki Kai** : if he is, it’s kind of refreshing.

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora):** wait, it’s Kuroo-senpai’s birthday >.>

 **Nobuyuki Kai:** ...Yes.

 **Fukunaga Shouhei:** ….o.

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora):** OH SHI T IT’S HIS BIRTHDAaAaaaaaaaY

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : You forgot

 **Mohawk Rulez (Taketora)** : NOOO  NNNOO AAAA

  
The rest of the comments was banter between Kuroo and Kenma’s moms from an hour ago, at the same time they were supposed to be up getting ready for the day. He would bug her about that later when he specifically said she should sleep in and let this be a relaxing day for all the Kuroos in the house, but as always, Kuroo mom had to take care of her own first.

He closed out the app and texted Kenma.

 

 **Tetsurou (Me):** Kenma, what was that?

 

A half an hour later, he finally received a response.

 

 **Kenma** : srry. slepy

 

Turned out Kuroo mom was right on the dot. Kuroo smiled at his screen as he texted back.

 

 **Tetsurou (Me)** : don’t push yourself ;^)

 

Kuroo thought Kenma might have fallen asleep again. He won’t admit out loud the thought of Kenma deliberately ignoring him wounded into his heart. He considered Kenma might have been gaining some sleep for later, when they had his (surprise, not a surprise) birthday party. The wound closed a little, but as most of what Kenma did, it didn’t close all the way.

As the day stretched on, Kuroo began to worry maybe he had pissed off Kenma.

Strange, wasn’t it, that Kuroo began to notice how often he actively seeked out this particular best friend’s affection? It took not seeing him for a year for Kuroo to realize, to realize things, about him, about Kenma, and about the true meaning to the odd fluttering his pulse did on the sight of Kenma, active slacker extraordinaire, as he handed him a present that turned out to be a body pillow. It was a blank one, thankfully.

“An alternative for your arms to wrap around,” Kenma explained, glancing up at him as if he could see everything Kuroo thought and imagined. He smiled when Kuroo didn’t break away their stare, and politely turned away.

“Thanks,” Kuroo said belatedly, cradling the pillow in his arms.

Kenma glanced up and paused the game on his phone. “You don’t seem like yourself. Sick?” he asked, peering at Kuroo for any signs of pale or green flush of his skin.

“No.” Kuroo squeezed the body pillow to his chest, imagining it was Kenma lying snug in his arms. “Are you angry with me?”

“I’m not.” Kenma started up his game again. Faint exploding noises and dings filtered from the phone.

“Not a morning person?” Kuroo peered over Kenma’s shoulder and heard the faint click of his tongue as he missed a combo.

“Not a night person.”

Kuroo turned his head to look at him in surprise. He didn’t realize how close they actually were until they clashed foreheads.

Kuroo groaned into the pillow. As he peered from under his shoulder, Kenma had pressed his head into Kuroo’s back, his phone digging into Kuroo’s shoulder blade. If this was another place and another time, Kuroo would think Kenma was nuzzling him instead of rubbing his own acute pain away.

When Kenma didn’t move after a while, Kuroo poked him in the side.

“Did you forget to take your nap?” he asked.

“Shut up.” Kenma must have heard the smile in Kuroo’s voice.

Kuroo prodded in places he knew were weaknesses. “You’re like a kitten,” he said, feeling the barely there tremors underneath Kenma’s ribs. “Shaking and grouchy and falling asleep whenever.”

“Quiet,” Kenma whispered, his voice muffled by Kuroo’s jersey jacket. “Stop tickle time.”

“Aw, kitten, are you getting sleepy?” Kuroo cooed. Kenma responded by punching his back with a curled fist.

“You’re warm but bony,” Kenma said, revealing a scary eye and stretching out a hand in demand. “Give.”

Kuroo, with wide eyes, obediently handed over the pillow. Kenma pounced on it like a cat presented with a string.

“Soft,” he hummed as he buried his face into the plushness. Kenma turned quietly to him after a minute, gazing at Kuroo like he wanted something.

“What?” Kuroo said, looking down at his clothes. “Do I have something on me?”

He didn’t expect to be glomped the second he looked up. His view was filled with gold and roots of black hair, some of it slipping into his mouth. He discreetly tilted his face away from this tiny accident.

“Kenma?” Kuroo inquired, barely above a whisper.

“Warm.” Kuroo could feel the sigh from the way his chest grew warmer where Kenma’s mouth was supposed to be. Kenma slid down so his head was in his lap with the pillow tucked under him.

Kuroo had to refrain from brushing back his hair from the corners of his lips. No one was looking at them. How could they not see how adorable Kenma was being?

“Thank you, again.” This time, he sounded more touched, and he found he was. Kenma bought something like this with Kuroo in mind, remembering all his complaints about his daily bedhead, even though Kenma was using his own gift for the time being. “I’ll use it well.”

Kenma turned his face to watch him for a beat longer. After nodding, he nestled closer to the pillow and thus closer to Kuroo's stomach. “You better,” he said, voice more clear than the din in the room from the other party guests, “Monhun can wait until next month.”

Bringing his hands up to his face to hide the smile there, Kuroo shook his head slowly. Really, now; even a gesture like this made him feel tingly all the way down to his toes. How was Kuroo supposed to make it up to him in eleven months?

Looking at Kenma lying silently with his head on his lap, his arms moving in tangent with the tendons connected to his fingers flying and pressing across the handheld screen of his phone, Kuroo had a terrifying idea that had him repress a shiver at the sheer magnitude and suddenness of it.

_What if Kenma liked me back?_

More than that was the relief that he was forgiven. What for didn’t matter, only that Kenma accepted him for now. The moment was what he valued, not the future.

He would think about the future when the future became the present.

His present was _technically_ the body pillow, but the promise of spending time with Kenma in the years to come was even better.


	2. Fleeing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's shivering, he's trembling, there's a pit in his stomach and it's not because of the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was an imaginary gaydar test placed for everyone, and Kuroo just failed.

ii.

 

The following year went as swimmingly as last year did, only Kuroo and Kenma had amassed a load of friends and rivals, so the celebrations would be extended to their buddies from the training camp.

The Tokyo representative match had already taken place yesterday. Kuroo had no time to think or take the time to realize what the date was. He didn’t bother to check his social media. He was exhausted from going up against Fukurodani and Nohebi. He fell asleep the second he got out of the shower and flopped onto the bed.

By the time Kuroo woke up in the following morning to see his phone blow up with notifications, all because of a single post at the top of his timeline, he was already unofficially declared many things, one of many outrageous ones being a drug dealer.

It didn’t help that he had been feeling the worse he had ever felt since the one time in junior high he fell into a river and had a fever for days. Back then, he couldn’t have visitors, couldn’t eat, and it was too hot in his bedroom that didn’t have Kenma to help comfort him from the pain.

This time, it wasn’t too bad, but he had to leave the weekend practice to Kai. He guessed everyone might have assumed he took the day off since it was the day after his birthday. Kenma and the third years knew the truth.

His body felt like a wreck as he restlessly laid in bed, yet unintentional Kenma humor would always make him laugh.

 

**Kozume Kenma**

_Posted yesterday on November 17th at 12:04am_

Live

 

It was almost like Kenma did it on purpose. Everyone except the first years understood Kenma’s message as they speculated and made their own theories in the comments below.

 

 **Shity Boi (Taketora):** is this going to be a tradition or what

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : Haha

 **Yaku Morisuke** : this is surprisingly motivational, Kenma you’re opening up

 **Yaku Morisuke** : like i am moved to tears

 **Haiba Lev:** IS KUROO-SAN GOING TO DIE?!?!? :O

 **Inuoka Sou:** im sorry Kuroo-senpai, for never noticing how much u were struggling

 **Inuoka Sou** : it must be hard as captain! i always thought being ace was a tough job but! i support u captain!! gj!!

 **Shity Boi (Taketora):** damn right being ace is hard! first years, gettin cocky

 **Yaku Morisuke** : no one’s dying, stfu Lev

 **Fukunaga Shouhei:** :L

 **Shity Boi (Taketora):** go 2 sleep kids, u cant just get the ace spot overnight

 **Haiba Lev:** but i grew half a mm over the weekend, does that count

 **Yaku Morisuke:** gtfo Lev or im coming over their and pressing your hair whorl

 **Yaku Morisuke:** i will forcibly deprive u of ur nutrients leg

 **Haiba Lev:** Yaku-san :’O

 **Haiba Lev:** if that’s what you prefer then...i can take it from my butt, i might cry a little, but hopefully it won’t hurt too much!

 **Nobuyuki Kai:** what are we talking about here

 **Inuoka Sou** : oh senpai and lev are like that! huh!! that’s so smart!!

 **Fukunaga Shouhei:** 0o0

 **Yaku Morisuke:** LEV IMMA KCK UR ASS FOR GIVING EVERYONE IDEAS

 **Haiba Lev:** but Yaku-san, I need my butt for things! I can’t practice if my butt is broken from diarrhea and your kicks!!

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : Ah.

 **Shity Boi (Taketora)** : a picture i never wanted to see. think girls, think cute pretty girls, Taketora

 **Inuoka Sou** : eh so they’re not together like that? :x

 **Yaku Morisuke** : lev’s just being a lil siht

 **Haiba Lev** : Yaku-san (ノД`)

 **Shity Boi (Taketora)** : that aside, is this why captain didnt come to practice today?

 **Yaku Morisuke** : He’s out sick, duh

 

As Kuroo scrolled down the page, he caught the names of guys from other schools.

 

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : this post has deep meaning, I can t ell

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : Kenma is being motivational! Kuroo-kun, you can make it through finals!!

 **Akaashi Keiji** : Bokuto-san, you should be studying for your own

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : i am!

 **Akaashi Keiji:** I can literally see you right next to me posting another meme

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : breaks, Akaashi, breaks!

 **Konoha Akinori** : isn’t it like 2 in the morning what are you guys doing at each other’s houses

 **Akaashi Keiji** : studying

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : wouldn’t you like to know!

 **Akaashi Keiji:** Studying, Konoha-san.

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : No! i cant, akaashi! i need to know what this post means or i wont get any sleep

 **Akaashi Keiji:** fine. i’m not posting it on here since Kenma-san and Kuroo-san will keep receiving more of these notifications

 **Akaashi Keiji** : I’ll say it out loud.

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : >:D

 **Akaashi Keiji:** no more memes for you, Bokuto-san

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU):** D: <

 

Fifteen minutes later, Bokuto had managed to snatch back his phone.

 

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : I can see clearly now, t he rain has gone/

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : I can see all obstacles in my way

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : Here is my “rainbow” I’ve been praying for

 

Kuroo liked this comment. He quickly PM’d him.

 

 **Tetsurou (Me)** : bro, what did Akaashi say

 

Bokuto responded right away.

 

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : nuh uh my lips are sealed >:p

 

Kuroo scowled at his screen.

 

 **Tetsurou (Me)** : the bf threatened not to give you any, didn’t he

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : !!!!!

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : you’re right, but how did you guess? can you read minds, kuroo????

 

Kuroo had to stifle a laugh. He could see what was going on from a mile away.

 

 **Tetsurou (Me)** : he sends out stories of your moping whenever he refuses to give you tosses, bro.

 

Bokuto didn’t reply for a good ten minutes, but the loading symbol was there...taunting.

 

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : Akaashi was right

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : you’re too nice and considerate for your own good, bro! live your youth in the gutter like the rest of us

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU):** I promised Akaashi I wouldnt say or do anything, so

 **Bokuto Koutarou (Owlways LoveU)** : here’s me wishing you luck! see you at new years!

 

Bokuto went offline, or pretended to. Kuroo had to accept it though he clearly knew Bokuto was on LINE.

As he closed out of their conversation, Kuroo skimmed the rest of the sizable amount of comments. Some kid from Karasuno had mentioned BFGs in all caps, saying he could spot a romantic gay feel from all the way in Miyagi.

 

 **Nishinoya Yuu:** I SWEAR I KNOW THESE THINGS MY BFG HERE CAN VOUCH FOR ME

 **Hinata Shouyou** : What’s a BFG??

 **Azumane Asahi** : No dont Hinata dont encourage him

 **Nishinoya Yuu** : TOO LATE

 **Nishinoya Yuu** : IT MEANS “BIG FRIENDLY GAY” HAHA

 

It was so outrageous yet so clever. Kuroo would archive the acronym for later.

Besides Sawamura reprimanding them and adding more fuel to the fire, the comments escalated out of control. A little encouragement from Fukunaga sparked the chaos.

 

 **Fukunaga Shouhei:** (fire emoji)

 

Cybernetically, that was.

 

 **Inuoka Sou** : i knew it

 **Shity Boi (Taketora)** : get lit captain lmao

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : Are we allowed to talk about this on here?

 **Yaku Morisuke** : there’s no way Kuroo smokes, he’s too straight laced like that

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : “Straight laced”...

 **Yaku Morisuke** : it’s more likely he’d be the one selling anything that’s able to “get lit” as Yamamoto so modernly called it

 **Shity Boi (Taketora)** : Yaku-san youre not that old

 **Haiba Lev** : i’m feeling funny A@ shahaha it’s so late!

 **Shity Boi (Taketora):** y arent you asleep kid

 **Haiba Lev:** i’m scared! Yaku-san ordered me not to grow another mm

 **Yaku Morisuke** : no sleep won’t stop u from growing Leg

 **Nobuyuki Kai** : Do you realize there are repercussions to sleeping during class and practice?

 **Haiba Lev** : !!!

 **Haiba Lev:** if Kuroo-san has so much money from selling things, then how come he doesn’t buy any hair gel for himself?

 

Blocked, blocked, Yamamoto and Lev were both blocked. Kai was the exception; his vice-captain did a lot for him, although that “straight-laced” comment was uncalled for.

Reading more of those comments was turning into an effort. The LED backlight of his phone made his head hurt. He tossed his phone somewhere down his bed and burrowed deeper into his covers. It was cold in his bedroom, and inside his comforter the hearth of warm things.

Kuroo laid there quietly, waiting for the rays in his room to disperse from a glaring orange between the shades of his window to a hazy glow that spread to the rest of his room. He felt so darn lazy and tired from battling the little microscopic invaders in his body. He would wait until someone came up and kicked him awake.

Before he realized, his morning had taken a different turn from where it started.

He had dozed off until he heard the creak of his bedroom door opening and someone padding in and cursing as they knocked something over onto the carpet. Kuroo tried to pretend he was asleep, despite the awkward position of his arms under his head and the fact he had somehow gotten himself to lay down on his stomach. It was a position his hair did not appreciate.

The bed dipped as someone sat down and carefully brushed their fingers through the bird's nest of his hair.

He evened out his breathing and let himself bask in feeling.

It felt so nice, the repeated motion across his scalp, he nearly purred. Kuroo quietly choked it back, yet the person above him stopped and withdrew their fingers. He wasn’t ready for the jig to be up and hoped whoever this was, would let him stay in bed for a bit longer. Settling to sleepily moving in a comfortable position, Kuroo kept up the act and turned his face so he was facing away from the wall where he could peer at the person through the slits of his eyes at the next opportunity.

After a moment, they exhaled shakily and returned to touching his face.

Yet, this time was different.

They lightly traced his eyelids and the arch of his eyebrow, gliding the tips of their fingers over his exposed cheek with barely there touches as he felt a loose strand of hair plastered to his skin be tenderly tucked behind his ear, nails scratching and lingering.

Fingernails that were not long and pointed like his mom’s.

As Kuroo was raring to expose himself, he felt the puff of a sigh ghost over his lips, the familiar rise and fall of breath forming his name.

“Don’t leave, Kuro.”

Kuroo opened his eyes. Kenma blinked and reared back, landing on the floor with a heavy thump.

“Kenma—” He was already scrambling to his feet, throwing the door open wide with a slam, disappearing, escaping from Kuroo, fleeing— “Kenma!”

Kuroo flung the suddenly restricting blankets off of him and grabbed the jacket Kenma had left behind as he ran after him. When he reached the landing at the top of the stairs, he saw a glimpse of Kenma’s face at the front door as he glanced back jerkily, shoving on his shoes as he stumbled outside.

Kuroo’s heart dropped.

Kenma had looked scared.

Of _him_.

He slipped into one of his mom’s loafers and followed him. He backtracked and snatched a scarf off the coat hanger. No one was getting a cold on his watch.

Kenma hadn’t gone far, not with his stamina, but it was far enough Kuroo picked up his pace into a serious sprint.

Kenma had collapsed on the river bank, his face buried in his hands and the dew wetting the back of his shirt.

“Kenma,” Kuroo said into the crisp air.

He twitched in the grass and flipped so his back was to Kuroo.

“At least put on your jacket,” Kuroo sighed, tossing it onto him as he sat down and gazed across the glittering water dyed all sorts of pink.

“It’s freezing,” Kuroo said as he shivered, feeling the weather was a relevant topic to start with.

“You were awake,” Kenma said bluntly from under the jacket.

Okay, so not the weather. Kuroo rubbed his arms for frictional heat and hummed.

“How long?” Kenma whispered.

Kuroo tucked his arms into his shirt, pressing them to his chest and leaving the arm holes empty.

“Petting,” Kuroo nodded. This seemed about right.

Kenma poked his head out as he said, “So everything.”

Kuroo pressed his hands together and squeezed them through his collar to blow warm air on them.

“Yep,” he agreed.

Kuroo caught Kenma looking at him longingly. He’d already figured out years ago which expressions represented the small things Kenma wanted, like a game or a break from practice. This look was one he had seen before once, on the same day exactly one year ago.

Sticking his arms out into the cold air again, Kuroo stretched them wide in offering. Kenma pursed his lips as if to ask Is it okay, and Kuroo gestured to reply Get over here.

He did.

“It’s too short,” Kenma said into his chest, “I wanted to have more fun with everyone when we went to nationals.”

Kuroo smiled and smoothed out the wrinkles on his shoulders. _When_ , he said.

“Does...does this change anything?” Kenma asked, lifting his face to gaze evenly at Kuroo.

Kuroo thought on this. He would have thought on it longer if Kenma hadn’t sneezed and dribbled snot from his nose.

“It can,” Kuroo replied, using the edge of his shirt to wipe Kenma’s nose, “It all depends on what I heard earlier. Kenma?”

Kuroo was giving Kenma a chance to take back what he said. If Kenma told him a lie, Kuroo would believe him wholeheartedly. He’d be disappointed, yeah, but this was Kenma’s decision if he regretted saying anything to Kuroo at all.

Kenma didn’t look at him, but he could tell he was struggling. He bunched his hands into Kuroo’s shirt, any conflict that could have shown on his face surfacing through his honest fingers.

“You know what?” Kuroo said, pushing Kenma away gently and getting to his feet. “Being cold was cool and all for a minute or two, but now I can’t feel my feet. Let's head back. Mom doesn't need two sick idiots to take care of.”

Kenma grabbed his hand before he could walk away.

Kuroo waited for him to say something. Kenma gazed up at him, as if absorbing Kuroo’s image for later.

“Yeah,” Kenma said finally with a smile, holding out his other hand for Kuroo to pull him up, “let’s go.”

The walk back was much faster than he thought possible. The hand in his was like the core of a fire, keeping him alive and functioning.

They both ended up catching a cold anyway, though Kenma had recovered sooner due to his immune system being untouched by previous ailments. It sucked for another few days. Kuroo couldn’t even eat his cake, he was too busy blowing his nose and sneezing up a storm.

“I’ll catch up to you soon,” Kenma said the following spring, when Kuroo was packed onto a train headed for Tokyo and he was waving his farewells to his underclassmen and family on the platform. Kenma had walked up to his window and said these words to him, almost like a challenge.

Kuroo grinned, the happiest he had been since spending his last New Years with his club.

“I’m off,” Kuroo said with a small wave.

“Take care,” Kenma replied, waving back with his free hand not in his pockets.

Kuroo once thought leaving the house he'd grown up in would be like escaping from the childhood memories he had come to value.

His thinking had changed since then. A year had gone in the blink of an eye, and he realized only in the midst of a birthday crisis that he can't call it  _running away._

Attending university in Tokyo could only be considered a trip if he had the intent to return home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurokens make me so tender.


End file.
